Stylish and affordable Euro gems

The Exchange Hotel, Amsterdam

The Exchange, Amsterdam

Take a short break in style at one of these fabulous and
great-value hotels across Europe, from Amsterdam to Athens, the
Cotswolds to Copenhagen.

THE EXCHANGE, AMSTERDAMOne bedroom has a bed surrounded by an imitation
17th-century ruff; another is lined with a gigantic, Eighties-style
knitted jumper (complete with a zipper over the window); a third is
minimalist white, with a subtle dot design inspired by Braille. The
Exchange hotel in Amsterdam has been fitted out by students from
the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, helped by professional design
studio Ina Matt to make the transition from draping bodies to
decorating rooms. Fabrics were specially madein
cooperation with the Audax Textielmuseum in Tilburg. The result is
engagingly quirky, an effect enhanced by the fact that the hotel is
spread over three narrow buildings, with warrensof
corridors and Escher-like stairs.The rooms are rated
one to five stars, ranked on size and location. Facilities are the
same in each, so although one-star guests might be pleasantly
surprised by an en-suite bathroom and safe, those in four-star
rooms are likely to be miffed by the run-of-the-mill bathroom
products and the lack of minibar or coffee-maker. And the hotel has
no facilities apart from a good, all-day-breakfast
café called Stock, and a design shop. However, The Exchange is
centrally located, delightfully different, and zanily Amsterdam.
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